The World Geography is dedicated to lists of trivia. We write about natural wonders, unusual tourist destinations and odd geographical facts. Also, every fact, destination or geographical term is accompanied with photo that has been chosen with great care.

Monday, November 15, 2010

List Of 11 Most Spectacular Natural Bridges And Arches

1. Durdle Door - England

Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast near Lulworth in Dorset, England. It is privately owned by the Welds, a family who own 12,000 acres (50 sq km) in Dorset in the name of the Lulworth Estate. It is open to the public. The name Durdle is derived from an Old English word 'thirl' meaning bore or drill.The arch has formed on a concordant coastline where bands of rock run parallel to the shoreline. Here the rock strata are nearly vertical, and the bands of rock are quite narrow. Originally a band of resistant Portland limestone ran along the shore, the same band which can be seen one mile down the coast forming the narrow entrance to Lulworth Cove.

2. Rainbow Bridge National Monument - USA

Rainbow Bridge National Monument is administered by Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, southern Utah, USA. Rainbow Bridge is often described as the world's highest natural bridge. The span of Rainbow Bridge was reported in 1974 by the Bureau of Reclamation to be 275 feet (84 m), but a laser measurement in 2007 has resulted in a span of 234 feet (71 m). At the top it is 42 feet (13 m) thick and 33 feet (10 m) wide.

3. Sipapu Bridge - USA

Sipapu Bridge is a natural bridge or arch located in the Natural Bridges National Monument in the U.S. state of Utah. The bridge spans White Canyon. Sipapu was long reported to have a span of 268 feet by the National Park Service, ranking it as the fourth longest natural arch in the world. A more accurate measurement obtained by laser survey in 2007 revealed the measurement to be a significant overstatement. The Natural Arch and Bridge Society has published a revised span of 225 feet, demoting the arch to a seventh place ranking. Based on specific criteria that separate natural arches from bridges, Sipapu is still ranked as the second longest natural bridge after the more famous Rainbow Bridge National Monument, also in Utah.

4. El Arco - Mexico

El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, or Lands End, Cabo San Lucas is a distinctive rock formation at the southern tip of Cabo San Lucas, which is itself the extreme southern end of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. The arch is usually known as El Arco in the town of Cabo San Lucas. This spot is also a popular gathering area for sea lions. Also, El Arco de Cabo San Lucas is a 200-foot (61 m) high granite rock.

5. Kentucky Natural Bridge - USA

Kentucky Natural Bridge is the centerpiece of Natural Bridge State Park, a Kentucky state park located along the Middle Fork of the Red River, adjacent to the Red River Gorge Geologic Area and surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest. The Natural Bridge which is natural sandstone arch spans 78 ft or 24 meters and is 65 ft or 20 m high.

6. Xian Ren Qiao - China

Xian Ren Qiao (also known as Fairy Bridge), in Guangxi Province, China, with a span of about 295 feet (90 m), and a height of the opening of 210 feet (64 m), appears to be the largest natural bridge in the world.

7.Velika Prerast - Serbia

Velika Prerast ("Large Natural Bridge") is situated on the Vratna River in the cliffs about 200 yards behind the Vratna Monastery in the small village of the same name. Vratna is about 33 kms (20 miles) from the town of Negotin in northeastern Serbia. The span is reported at 92 feet with a height of about 100 feet. It is a few hundred feet upstream from another large arch, Mala Prerast.

8. Natural Bridge - USA

Natural Bridge, in Rockbridge County, Virginia is a geological formation in which Cedar Creek (a small tributary of the James River) has carved out a gorge in the mountainous limestone terrain, forming an arch 215 ft (66 m) high with a span of 90 ft (27 m). It consists of horizontal limestone strata, and is the remains of the roof of a cave or tunnel through which the creek once flowed. Natural Bridge has been designated a Virginia Historical Landmark and a National Historical Landmark.

The Natural Bridge was a sacred site of the Native American Monacan tribe, who believed it to be the site of a major victory over pursuing Powhatans centuries before the arrival of whites in Virginia.

9. The Bridges of wonder - Bulgaria

The Bridges of Wonderare truly wonderful rock formations in Bulgaria.The “bridges” were formed by the erosive activity of the once high-water river. It transformed the marble clefts into a deep water cave, the ceiling of which whittled up through time and collapsed, allegedly during an earthquake. Geologists suppose that the water carried the debris away.

10.Pravicka Brana - Czech Republic

This splendid rock formation is located in Bohemian Switzerland. This area is also known as Czech Switzerland, a picturesque region in the north-western CzechRepublic. Vault is of 26.50 m, width of 7 to 8 m, height: 21 m.

11. Pont d’Arc - France

The beautiful Pont d’Arc is a great natural bridge located in the south of France. The bridge has a width of 60 meters and a height of 45 meters and was carved out by the ArdecheRiver. It is a very popular canoeing and kayaking area and is heavily visited by tourists. Pont is French for bridge.

It is one in Romania: Podul lui Dumnezeu (God's Bridge). It is the only one in the world effectively used for traffic - this natural bridge has in top a road for cars. http://surprising-romania.blogspot.ro/2010/04/gods-bridge.html